San Benito is only several miles from Harlingen. I like their Walmart better, they seem to have more things you need and not as busy as Harlingen’s, and its also on the way to Brownsville and Padre Island. Right along the interstate you pass this water tower stating it was also Freddy Fenders Hometown.
I did some research and found out he was buried at a cemetery at the edge of town. Freddy had several hit songs that I remember, Before the Next Tear Drop Falls, and Wasted Days and Wasted nites. He was a country singer. I really enjoyed his singing, although I never bought any of his records.
Freddy was born June 4, 1937 in San Benito Tx. His birth name was Baldemera Garza Huerta. He grew up in a poor Hispanic neighborhood. He grew up working with his parents in the fields as migrant workers. Many of his fellow workers were black, and some of them, Fender remembers, were good enough singers and musicians to have been professionals. The blues music he heard in the fields would become an integral part of his own unique style. Freddy hit the top Charts in 1975 as a bilingual Country Singer. Freddy Fender has had three successful careers-as a Hispanic/pop star in the late 50’s, a country pop star in the 70’s, and a member of the Grammy award-winning Texas Tornadoes in the 90’s. With his signing to Warner/Reprise, he began a new chapter in an amazing career that spanned nearly four decades.
He had a kidney transplant from his daughter, adopted daughter Marla Garcia, in January 2002 and a liver transplant in 2004. On August 13, 2006, he was diagnosed with incurable cancer and died on October 14 in Corpus Christi Texas.
I knew last year, he was buried near, but I had never bothered to find his grave. So several weeks ago, Rich and I went to Walmart in San Benito, and I decided that we should find it. I had looked up the directions earlier. It was so easy, right at the edge of town. His grave is in the New San Benito Memorial Park. He was the first one buried their, and their is room for 300 burials.
There is a replica of his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the sidewalk just behind his headstone. The back of the black granite headstone has a picture of Freddy playing his guitar with a spotlight shining on him.
The headstone and grave is surrounded by a large circular area of paving stones. Around the edge of that circular area are two black granite benches and six monuments commemorating his long career. On the six monuments was all the information of Freddy’s songs, his history in the musical field, and all his awards. Lots of important info that I didn’t even know . He had quite an Amazing Life.
Adjoining this Cemetery was a very old one. As I stood at Freddys grave, I looked over and seen the graves all decorated. It was so colorful. I had never seen one like it before. So Rich and I drove over to explore.
This was the City Cemetery of San Benito. I walked through this one and was amazed at how they decorated for Easter. I vowed to come back again.
Again came a day later….lol….My friend Alice and I decided to go. “Cici, if you read this, well all go this fall when we’re all back…..You got to see this…..” I took many pics. As Alice and I walked through, this is what we seen……
Notice that all the plots are outlined. Some painted, and many many flowers. Also these plots are not in any order. They seem to have buried wherever they had room. So many are crooked and jammed in areas. 
This was the grave of 2 teenage boys. They constructed a pavilion and a basketball hoop. They had just poured the concrete floor. When Alice and I came, they had freshly painted it the maroon color of the pavilion.
This one was designed using tile around the edge walls. It is full of Easter decorations and eggs.
Another pavilion. This boy was just 18….born in 1991…died in 2009….another basket ball hoop….Many easter decorations.
Just look the beautiful headstone. His picture is engraved and they still today 7 years later haven’t forgotten him.
This one was so interesting. It was completely covered with the white bars and stood on a small rise on the hill. The top was covered with a tarp to keep the sun from beating down. It was locked up so nobody could get in. Beautiful
This was the inside. I stuck my phone inside between the bars. Easter flowers were everywhere.
This was right down the hill from the big white one….It held several family members
This one is also again a locked enclose. Another young teen, who loved horses and apparently loved Budweiser.
This was a very old grave. It is a childs bed, and a tree was growing up inside. A cross is attached to the headboard.
Love the blue tile. They even installed tile corner pieces and a small covering to shade the head stone.
Decorated for Easter. See all the Easter eggs on the grave. Check out all the butterflies on the tree…..
This was the grave of 2 teenage girls. The bench and the grave stone is made of a pink marble.
We found out later, that the girls were in an accident. One died immediately, the other lived for 3 months and then passed away. So Sad. How had it must be on a family.
This is just a showing how close and how decorated they were. Lots of palm trees and beautiful foliage.
This is a very old site. The top of this enclose is covered with vines that have grown this way and just now starting to leaf out, as spring is coming.
You can see how some of the vines have grown and twisted on the bars.
This is a close up of the vine that has grown and twisted around the bars. It is so so old…..But still it has been decorated for Easter.
This is a close up of another fenced in grave….On this side was a child. Lots of stuffed animals, and if you look closely on the table, you will see lots of bobbles that dance in the wind. They had a garden swing in the foreground to swing and spend time with their loved one.
It was just amazing to me to see all the Easter Decorations. They remember their family members after they have passed. It is something I know my grandma did, but we have really stepped away from that practice. We have forgotten our family members. We really should stop and visit the cemetery’s of our family’s. Tell our children and Grandchildren about the family history, and who these people are
……Our History is being lost…..
My Cheese ball….Pinterest is so full of ideas.
When we first got their, we were taken to a metal building out by the basin. It was open to the water at the shore side. Their was 2 conveyors running from this building to a shrimp boat by the dock.
It is his job to dehead all the fish that is dropped on the deck as the nets are pulled up. The boat is equipped with 4 nets that are dragged on the bottom. Wooden doors on the nets, keep the mouths open as tickler chains drag the bottom and keep it stirred up, driving the shrimp into the nets. The nets are lifted every 45 mins or so to see if they are needed to dump on the deck for the header. The nets are dumped and immediately put back in the water and the header keeps deheading.
We sat in the brightly decorated dinning Hall. It was full of natural lighting from the ceiling. We were waiting for the cadets to come in for dinner. They had finished their morning classes and were in their dorms getting ready for inspection were they would line up military style. We raided the ice cream cooler filled with fudge cycles, ice cream bars and sandwiches, and headed outside to the porch area. The cadets were lining up and getting ready to march in.
Some of us went into the museum and some of the guys had earlier walked around the equipment that is on display. Some went over to the Monument for a walk.
So several Saturdays ago, we spent the day looking for a nice black frig that would fit. We went to Conns, here in town and checked. Found one fairly reasonable. We decided to ride down to Brownsville also to check out Best Buy. They had one also but not deliverable for several weeks. We went back to Conns. Now we were set to order it, but they were going to charge us $75 delivery charge as it was coming from McAllen. Even if they dropped it at the store, still the charge. That just set the price over the one in Brownsville. So we were discouraged, and home we went. Then the light went on….HOME DEPOT…..Now we knew that. lol….We went out and found one and ordered it. Now how hard was that. One week and it would be delivered FREE…..and less money than the others. So the following week Rich prepared the frig for take out. Several days before delivery, Rich took out all the food and pulled our frig out. We have another frig outside. Now their it sat in the Living room…. lol…It was almost to big to go out the door. So now for several days it sat their. He put his recliner in the middle of the floor, so he could see TV. lol..
Finally the nite before, Rich took off the screen and part of the main door assembly and we Pushed…..Pushed….Pulled….Pulled….Turn it a fraction….Pick it up, Let it down….and finally SHOVE IT OUT….It made it out the door. We did tear a piece of the dash, but it was out. We started measuring and got out the paper work….
In the meantime we went to “Winterfest” at Schlitterbahn Water Park, on South Padre Island. It is an all day music festival with different entertainers every 45 min.
They were all the entertainers that come to the Rio Grande Valley for the winter entertainment at all the parks. They usually have a circuit and perform a different park almost every nite. Our entertainment in Eastgate , is on Friday nite. Many come from Branson Mo. Some are closer. Many are from 
Another GREAT singer is John Sager, Also from Branson. He was a wonderful singer and full of energy. He is scheduled to come to our park next season. Also a guy named Greg ?…..Already forgot.
He used to sing at the Play Boy Club years ago. He was an Elvis impersonator and some others. Once his voice was warmed up, he could really belt out a song. Very Powerful. The very last performance was the local High School.
They had a Mariachi Band. These kids were so talented. They sang and played their traditional music. It was Awesome. It was a fun day, but it was cold. They moved it inside by the indoor water park at Schlitterbahn, but it was still a very chilly day.
The best part was, all the gift shop items was 50% off…….Wow….That’s my price. I bought a Tie-dyed zipper sweatshirt for $12.50.
Several visors for $2.50 each. Another pull over sweatshirt and Rich bought sweatpants and t-shirt, all for $10 each…..Great Day for bargains. The best part was, our tickets were complimentary, as I was given some to sell for the park, therefore mine were free. Some of the perks of this job.
He made shelves top to bottom and we have clear plastic containers that are wide enough for cans. Each one will slide out so we can see what is in the container. Now he just has to make a door for it. It will solve our can storage problem of them all jumbled together under the sink. Finally the big day came. We got the call. The frig was on the way. I had to go to the office, but that’s ok. I really didn’t want to be their. I knew it would be a very tight fit, and I wouldn’t be any help. I just knew their would be a few choice words said….lol….So our friend Ken came over. They took off the screen door again, and after some other adjustments they began. Rich said it was an extremely tight fit through to door. They pushed…pulled….brought it back out twice. They problem is, as the frig goes through the door, the dash comes out and you have to turn it to clear the dash. Finally after time, and some more small rips in the dash and a dent in the wood, it was in…..Now it had to fit in the new opening….Bingo….Fit like a Glove….Rich had to do some minor adjustments to the ceiling light, as the freezer door hit it, but it all worked out….I came home that day, Hoping it was in. I was worried that we might still have to take out a window to take it through…..I looked outside…..Nothing….No sign of the frig, or the box. Good Deal….It was In…and …It looks Marvelous, and
The elegant Cortez Hotel, of Spanish Colonial design, was the landmark on Main Street in Weslaco during the 30’s and 40’s. The hotel was diagonally across the street from the railroad station. The modern hotel of its time, was a home to several businesses and a favorite spot for entertainment, celebrations and various events. The three top floors each had 25 bedrooms with bathrooms. It is also rumored that Al Capone had stayed their. Eventually the hotel fell into a dilapidated state. Only a few business existed. In 1998, Patti and Larry Dittburner, decided to renovate this landmark and return it to its beauty of the past. After many months and some set backs the renovation was completed. The Villa now offers retail space on the 1st floor, consisting of a café, a barber shop, tuxedo rental, as well as a beautiful restaurant right off the courtyard. The 2nd floor offers a Spanish style décor ballroom, several bar areas, and elegant ballroom seating. It is used for Weddings, Celebrations, and Receptions. The menu is catered by the onsite catering business. The 3rd and 4th floors are offices and business spaces. The basement has been made into a special party room called, “The Wild Thing”. It actually consists of the whole basement. The Villa is decorated with many of the arts and momentos that the Dittburners collected in their travels around the world.
We all met at the South Hall, 38 of us, and carpooled the half hour drive to Weslaco. We ordered from their luncheon menu which consisted of soup, a sandwich plate with tea or coffee. Most of us had Chicken Salad Croissant, with chips. I was delicious, and only $9. While we were eating, Sandy, the owner of Lionels’ Western wear came in with another lady and modeled some clothing. Their clothing was very stylish and fun. We then was given the tour of the building. It was so amazing.
We took the elevator to the second floor. This is the entrance on the second floor from the 2nd floor parking garage. Beautiful wrought iron gates, grape ivy and lights hanging from the ceiling.
We walked through the elegant dining area to the ballroom.
This is the view from the dance floor into the dinning area. It has beautiful white drapes hung over the arches of brick and white banisters.
The dance floor is several steps lower, and has 2 huge glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
Here is a close up of the chandelier. Notice the wire in the center of the glass arms supporting the glass structure, with its many hanging glass crystals.
Another Chandelier in the Dinning Area.
Here is the main Staircase from the Main Floor.
This is the Staircase from the 2nd floor dinning room.
Many of the pillars were made to look like book shelves loaded with books. They were really faux. If you looked closely, it even looked like worn areas on the books. Amazing….They were like this on all four sides.
This is a cozy sitting area on the way to one of the Bar Rooms. Now on through the French doors on the right of the picture to one of the bars.
This was so elegant. The base was made with carved wood.
Now when we turned around, here was another room.
It was a much smaller wine room. The waiter was ready to take your order….lol…
Of course I had to add the elegant powder room. Finally, we took the elevator to the Basement……..WOW……Another Party Area……
The Entrance to …….The Wild Thing”……
The Dinning Area
The Dance Floor
The Spiral Stairway to the Main Floor
After an Amazing Tour, we thanked the Guide and planned to do this again next year. This was an amazing Villa. It was so amazing to see all the things that the Dittburners have collected and worked into the theme of the design. The rooms are filled with elegance and reflect the beautiful history of the past. What a wonderful job they have done. Weslaco has the honor of hosting a beautiful Historical Landmark in their city. We left through the court yard, and walked down the street to check out the store that did the modeling. Lionels’ is a Western store for men, and a beautiful line of clothes for women. They carry boots, purses, shoes and any kind of beautiful jewelry you can imagine. Many turquoise pieces.
But, What did I try on????? Cici and I tried on Hats…….””””BLING”””
Cassidy went swimming and played Waterball with many people. That’s Her with her hand up in the air. Cameron just hung out and did some trips in town to get snacks for the frig. We did the hot tub the first 2 nites after dark. It was really peaceful and they enjoyed looking at the stars in the sky.
We had a small group from the park and we all met at the Segway office. Cassidy was so excited as this was her first time. After instruction, it became apparent that she was a natural.
.............''AND LET THE FUN BEGIN''................. 